TopAwards
Awards & Prizes
- Awards are announced at the Festival's Closing Night Award Ceremony.
- If juries feel a category does not merit an awards, they will not be given.
- Awards and Prizes are given in the form of plaques and certificates.
- Cash prizes are given to the director of a film unless otherwise specified.
- Films that win first prize from the Adult Jury in the category of Live-action Short or Animated Short may become eligible to enter the Academy Awards® competition.
- Most juries meet prior to the start of the Festival.
Adult & Children's Juries
With nearly 700 entries submitted each year, the Chicago International Children's Film Festival programs nearly a third, a select number of which are viewed by the Festival's Adult and Children’s Juries. Films screened in competition are eligible for first of second prize in over a dozen award categories including: Animated & Live-action, Shorts, Features, Documentary, & Child-produced. Filmmakers also may be awarded in a number of special award categories for both adult and child filmmakers including:
Special Awards & Prizes
Best of the Fest Prize (Selected by audience vote)
The Kenneth F. and Harle G. Montgomery Emerging Director Prize ($2500, Selected by special Montgomery Jury Committee)
The Kenneth F. and Harle G. Montgomery Award Child-produced Prize ($2500, Selected by special Montgomery Jury Committee).
Liv Ullmann Peace Prize
